Moody, cinematic, and true to color wedding photography
As I lover of candid photos and natural feeling photography, my approach to a wedding day leans documentarian and fly-on-the-wall to allow you to experience your wedding day to its absolute fullest while still capturing beautiful photos. Mixing editorial formal portraits with spontaneous candids helps tell the full story of the day without interrupting the most important moments, but of course I am here for direction and making sure you feel comfortable in front of the camera. Us photographers use a lot of marketing buzzwords to describe photography styles, so I’m going to break down what I mean when I say I’m a moody, cinematic, true to color wedding photographer who mixes documentarian and editorial style photography, and if it sounds like I’ll be a good fit for you and your wedding day, you can drop a line here.
MOODY: There’s no shying away from dramatic, deep shadows and dark colors here, I love to emphasize strong lighting and contrast to give colors more depth and highlight bright points like a white dress.
CINEMATIC: My editing style is heavily inspired by analogue film and the grain and colors found in the movies, particularly warm skin tones and vibrant greens, which help the photos feel grounded and timeless.
TRUE TO COLOR: Even though I consider myself a moody photographer, I preserve colors to emphasize your chosen palette. Even if you aren’t into the typical moody colors, you can still get that moody feel.
Documentary VS. editorial
Documentary and editorial refer to two distinct, and at times conflicting, photography styles that are (for good reason) very popular in the realm of wedding photography. Documentary photography draws its origins from photojournalism and street fashion photography, it’s unplanned and in the moment, while still feeling curated and full of story. In wedding photography, documentary style puts an emphases on authentic emotion and natural expressions. The camera feels more like a casual observer or even a member of the party, giving the photos the intimate feel. This approach is how I like to capture receptions, first looks, cocktail hours, dance floors, welcome dinners, or anywhere it would be disruptive to your experience of the day for a photographer to step in and start directing poses or changing lighting.
Editorial photography draws its origins from fashion photography and magazines, as well as vintage portraits that required subjects to sit still for long periods of time. Both of these situations, like some of the formal portraits at weddings, are approached with a lot of pre-planning to make sure time is used effectively, and no shots are wasted. Editorial wedding photography is very detail oriented, with an emphasis on the design and aesthetic elements that make up the entire celebration. Subjects are posed with a lot of intention to create flattering and interesting portraits. This approach is how I like to capture portraits (couples, family, party, etc.), vow readings, cake cuttings, or anywhere highly specific directions are welcome. While editorial and documentarian styles of wedding photography have their differences, blending the two allows for beautiful, intentional portraiture while keeping the day from becoming one big photoshoot. The emphasis remains on the celebration, and the bonds between you and your loved ones.
